Safety Tips

Halloween is a wonderful time for children. That`s obvious to anyone who sees their delight as they make their lanterns and get into costume before a night`s trick or treating.

As parents we all want them to have a memorable night on October 31st. But there are certain things we must all be aware of to make sure it`s not memorable for the wrong reasons.

Here is our simple guide to keeping children safe and making sure they have as much fun as possible.

The first thing we should remember is the clocks go back on October 31st, so the nights will be closing in as hordes of Draculas and Frankensteins hit the streets.

It will be dark by the time they set out, so make sure they are wearing something bright, or even fluorescent. You could incorporate it into their costume.

With the darkness comes a visibility problem, so children will have to be extra vigilant when crossing the road.

They will need to observe basic road safety rules like not crossing between parked cars, and should ideally cross the road in groups.

We also suggest avoiding masks in costumes, because they can limit a child`s range of vision. It is much safer to go down the face paint route – as long as the paint is non-toxic of course.

Adult supervision is recommended, because it should eliminate the problem of road safety, and give the children some added protection when going to unfamiliar houses.

The old adage `safety in numbers` could not be more apt at Halloween, so make sure your trick or treaters stick together while they are out.

They should not visit properties in darkness or without any Halloween decorations, because those homeowners are sending a signal they do not want to be disturbed.

And children should not approach any pet or animal they are not familiar with.

You should always check the treats before they are devoured, particularly for children with food allergies.

They could easily have been given a treat with peanuts, for example, and are not likely to check the ingredients themselves.

And finally, naked flames will be a risk, as many will have left pumpkin lanterns outside their homes, so ensure costumes are flame-retardant and meet all UK safety standards.

So, to summarise, the five tips to observe to keep young people safe at Halloween are:

* Wear bright, or even fluorescent, clothing to help them stand out* Take extra care crossing roads in darkness* Adult supervision and sticking together is to be recommended* Check treats before consuming* Ensure costumes are flame-retardant

Have a great Halloween everyone!

Official costumes from:

The Best Fancy Dress on the web

Hello there and welcome to Wonderland Party Fancy Dress, the UK's fastest growing online fancy dress costume store, where the customer comes first, the prices are unbeatable, and satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!

Shop with a piece of mind

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Buy from us now and if, within 7 days, you find the same product cheaper from any UK Fancy Dress website - WE'LL BEAT IT! If we can't (and it's not happened yet), we'll post you a nice new...